Flask for casting horseshoes.



L. A. SHAFFER. PLASK FOR OASTING HORSESHOES.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.17, 1909.

. Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

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/7 Evan/Zarl g'yzgaramdwr L. A. SHAPFER. FLASK FOR CASTING HORSESHOES.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.17, 1909.

96 9,663. Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

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LIG-UORIA A. SHAFFER, OF RIDGELEY, WEST VIRGINIA.

FLASK FOR CASTING I-IORSESHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

Application filed December 17, 1909. Serial No. 533,706.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LIGUORIA A. SHAFFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ridgeley, in the county of Mineral and State of Vest Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flasks for Casting Horseshoes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is an improvement in flasks for casting horseshoes, and it comprehends the production of a flask comprising separable members which may be readily assembled and taken apart, and which are so constructed as to provide for circulation of a cooling fluid through one member, for the easy removal of the cast shoe from said member, for shearing off the nipple produced by the metal remaining in the gate, thereby obviating the formation of a fin upon the shoe, and for ventilation of that member wherein the gate is formed.

A structural embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereof Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved flask, the members of which are shown as separated. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, showing the flask members assembled. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a sectional view in the same plane as Fig. 3, but showing the flask members as separated subsequent to the casting of the shoe. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the cast shoes.

Reference being had to the drawings, and to the numerals marked thereon, it will be seen that the flask consists essentially of three parts or members, namely, a base plate, indicated in a general manner by the numeral 1, an intermediate plate, or mold proper, indicated in a similar manner by the numeral 2, and a top plate, indicated by the numeral 3, the several members being held together when in assembled position, by dowel pins 4, which are formed upon the base and enter openings 5 and 6 in the intermediate and top plates, and by a headed bolt 7, or similar device, which passes through openings 8, 9 and 10, in the respective plates and has formed in its projecting upper portion a transverse opening 11 for the reception of a locking wedge 12.

In the upper face of the base are formed the mold cavities 13 and 14 for the toe and heel calks l5 and 16, and upon said face there is also formed the curved rib or core 17, by means of which the depression 18 in the under face of the shoe 19 is produced, said core conforming to the shape of the shoe, as will be understood. This member of the flask is substantially hollow, by reason of the fact that it contains an interior chamber 20 through which there is a continuous circulation of water or other cooling fluid during the casting operation. The upper wall of said chamber has formed therein a curved groove 21 which exactly follows the shape of core 17 and thus enables the cooling fluid to approach as nearly as possible to said core, and to the projecting teeth 22 with which the same is provided, (see Figs. 3

and 4), thereby avoiding to a material extent any overheating of the same. The upper portion of each tooth, however, is removably attached to the lower or base portion thereof by means of a. threaded stem 23 which fits in a threaded opening 24 formed in the latter portion, as shown in the aforementioned figures. These teeth are designed to form the nail openings in the shoe. The intermediate member 2 of the flask is formed with a cavity 25 which conformsv to the shape of the complete shoe and is designed to register with the calk cavities 13 and 14. The walls of said cavity are inclined or beveled in opposite directions. hen the intermediate and base plates are assembled together, the toothed core 17 will enter into this cavity, as shown in Fig. 3. I The top plate has formed in its under face cavities 27 and 28 for producing the toe and side lips 29 and 30, these cavities opening into the main cavity 25. There is also formed, preferably in this plate, an inwardly extending guideway 31 wherein is received a slide 32 havin dovetailed sides, the side walls of the guideway being correspondingly shaped. In said slide is formed the gate 33 through which the molten metal is poured into the various cavities aforementioned. The walls of the gate, which are plane, converge toward each other at their lower ends. In order to assist in the rapid cooling of the metal, a series of spaced parallel air passages 34 is formed in plate 3, these passages opening at their outer ends through one of the side walls of said plate. The intermediate plate 2 of the flask may, if preferred, be provided with handles 35.

The operation is as follows: When the several members of the flask have been prop.- erly assembled, molten metal is poured through gate 33 into cavity 25, filling the same and the communicating cavities 13, 14, 27 and 28, and said gate itself, the slide having previously been adjusted to bring the gate into position to register with cavity 25, such position being shown in Fig; 3. The teeth 22 extend into cavity 25, at such time, and form the nail openings in the shoe, as already stated. The cooling of the metal is facilitated by the passage of the water or other fluid through the chamber 20, and the flask itself is prevented at the same time from becoming overheated. As soon as the filling operation has been completed, the projecting outer end of the slide is struck sharply with a hammer or similar implement, whereupon said slide will be caused to move inwardly of its guideway, the joint between the metal nipple, (2'. 6., the metal contained in the gate) and the main body of metal contained in cavity 25 being cleanly severed by the movement of the slide, this being due to the inclination or beveling of the side walls of the gate which produces in effect a shearing shoulder indicated by the numeral 36. The top and intermediate plates may then be lifted off from the base of the flask, the casting being removed bodily from the base with the intermediate plate, by reason of the taper of the walls of the cavity 25. Finally, the top plate may be separated from the intermediate plate, and the latter then inverted, after which the casting may be forced out of the cavity by being struck sharply.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mold comprising separable members, one of which is formed with a mold cavity; and a device carried by another of said members and formed with a pouring gate openinginto said cavity, said device being adapted to be struck at the completion of the pouring, to sever the joint between the ma terial contained in the cavity and the material contained in the gate.

2. A mold comprising top, intermediate, and base plates, the intermediate plate being formed with a mold cavity, the top plate with a gate opening into the cavity, and the bottom plate with a core projecting into said cavity and with an interior chamber adapted to receive a cooling liquid, the upper wall of said chamber having a groove conforming to the shape of said core and located directly beneath the same, to bring the liquid into close proximity to the surface thereof.

3. A mold comprising separable superposed members, the upper member being formed with a mold cavity, and the lower member with a core projecting into said cavity and having a series of teeth for producing openings in the cast article, the walls of said cavity converging downwardly, to withdraw the cast article from the core and its teeth when said upper member is raised from the lower member.

4.,A mold comprising separable superposed members, the upper member being formed with a mold cavity, and the lower member with a core projecting into said cavity and having a series of teeth for producing openings in the cast article, said teeth having the upper portions thereof separable from their lower portions.

5. A mold comprising separable superposed members, the upper member being formed with a mold cavity, and the lower member with a core projecting into said cavity and having a series of teeth for producing openings in the cast article, said teeth having their upper portions separable from their lower portions and formed with stems fitting in openings in said lower portions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LIGUORIA A. SHAFFER.

lVitnesses J. S. GADWALLADER, P. FLUGLE. 

